Nevada is moving toward a statewide earthquake early warning system, with the Nevada Seismological Laboratory at the University of Nevada, Reno, now developing a plan for bringing ShakeAlert to the state.
The planning effort is funded through a $300,000 cooperative agreement with the U.S. Geological Survey. The goal is to determine where Nevada needs additional seismic monitoring and how the system could be used to improve public safety.
ShakeAlert is already operating in Washington, Oregon, and California, serving more than 50 million people. Nevada is already connected to the system in part through seismic data collected by the Nevada Seismological Laboratory, particularly along the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada.
For people in Nevada, the proposed system could provide a few seconds of warning after an earthquake begins but before stronger shaking reaches them. Those seconds could give people time to take protective action such as Drop, Cover, and Hold On.
The system can also provide data that could trigger automated safety measures. The Nevada Seismological Laboratory cited examples such as opening firehouse doors so they do not become jammed and closing water valves to help prevent flooding from broken pipes.
“Investment in Nevada’s earthquake safety has to increase as our population and industries continue to expand,” NSL Director Christie Rowe said. “The Nevada Seismological Laboratory currently helps provide real-time seismic data that contributes to alert delivery in California. It’s high time Nevadans got earthquake early warnings too.”
The planning work will focus on identifying suspected earthquake source faults, determining where additional seismic stations are needed, and talking with people across Nevada about potential public safety uses for ShakeAlert data.
Those findings will be used by the USGS and NSL to develop a technical implementation plan outlining what would be needed to bring the system to Nevada and how much the buildout could cost.
That next phase matters because seismic monitoring is not evenly distributed across the state. Western Nevada is already well monitored, while northern and eastern Nevada have relatively few seismic stations.
The Nevada Seismological Laboratory is seeking resources to expand monitoring into those areas, including locations where rural communities, mining operations, and geothermal operations could benefit from the system.
After the technical plan is completed, the USGS and NSL will take the next step by asking Congress for funding to build the additional seismic monitoring stations. The plan will be delivered to Congress with a request for buildout funding in fiscal year 2028.
“This is an important step in bringing the most advanced notification technology to Nevada,” Nevada Office of Emergency Management Administrator Brett Compston said.
The effort builds on work already underway in Nevada. The Nevada Seismological Laboratory operates the state's seismic monitoring program and AlertWildfire fire camera network, while its seismometers are already contributing data to ShakeAlert.
The system is being developed through a partnership between the Nevada Seismological Laboratory and the USGS, with the immediate focus on determining what Nevada would need before a statewide buildout could begin.
